Lesson 116 Part I

Lesson 116

 

Part ⅠWarming-up Exercises

Note-taking: Phoning a Flat-Owner

Training Focus:

Note-taking: important points of a telephone conversation

Directions: You are going to hear a telephone conversation. Listen carefully. Note down the information about the flat that the man wishes to rent.

Key:

----Hello. Is that Oxford 40414?

----Yes it is.

----Erm … I'm enquiring about the flat which was advertised in the local paper.

----Oh yes?

----Wonder if you could tell me, how much is the rent a month, please?

----It's ￡ 112.

----I see. Is it fairly near the city centre?

----Yes, it's only about a kilometre away.

----I see. Is it quite handy for the shops ?

----Yes, within a minute or two on foot.

----Good. What about a garden ?

----Well you have the use of the garden.

----I see. And central heating, is there?

----Yes, yes. Gas central htatirrg.

----I see. Erm … how many rooms are there, please ?

----Well, there's one very large bed-sitting room, a kitchen and bathroom and a small hall.

----I see. Erm … which floor is it on ?

----On the first floor.

----Oh good. Erm … would it be possible for me to visit it tomorrow, say about 5 o'clock ?

----Yes, certainly.

----Oh good. That's fine. Could you just give me your name, please ?

----Yes. The name is Mary Jones (Yes) and the address is 41 North Parade.

----41 North Parade. Fine. Thanks ever so much. I'll see you tomorrow at 5 o'clock then.

----Yes. (OK?) Good.

----Byebye.

----Goodbye.

Lesson 116 Part Ⅱ How Peaceful It Is Here!

Lesson 116

Part Ⅱ How Peaceful It Is Here!

 

Ea. Ⅰ

Directions: Write down the words and phrases that the speakers use to describe Athens and the countryside.

Key: Athens----noisy, busy, disappointing, very interesting, ‘concrete jungle,’charming people, small flats, competition, fumes, pollution.

Countryside----peaceful, hospitable people, quaint little whitewashed houses.

Ex. Ⅱ

Directions: Summarize the views of the speakers by using the words and phrases you have jotted down in Ex. Ⅰ.

Tapescript:

How Peaceful It Is Here ! (2'27 ")

Ruth and Jan are spending a few days‘island hopping.’Now they are sitting talking to a young Greek man, Alexis, and his German girlfriend Inge. They are talking about the girls' impressions of Greece.

Alexis: Well, what do you think of Greece ?

Ruth: Generally speaking, we love it, but what a noisy city Athens is and how busy !

Jan: Yes, to be honest, we were rather disappointed in Athens. Although parts of it are very interesting, it's a bit like a‘concrete jungle.’Why on earth are they pulling down the old buildings instead of restoring them ?

Inge: Did you meet many Athenians ?

Jan: None ! That is, everyone we met came from a village or an island.

Ruth: While we met some charming people there, we got so tired of being pushed and hooted at. I think one should get out of Athens in the summer.

Jan: Definitely ! How peaceful the islands are and what hospitable people.

Inge: It's true. There's a huge difference between the Athenian Greeks and the people from the country.

Alexis: Well, as Jan said, almost everyone living in Athens comes from the provinces, a village or an island. The big city is a‘dream’for these people, and therefore they find the demands of city life, small flats, competition, etc., difficult to cope with.

Ruth: It must certainly be a shock for them after the peaceful countryside. I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to leave this for a city.

Jan: What quaint little whitewashed houses ! Imagine giving up one of those for a small flat, fumes, pollution, etc.

Inge: Well, we spend as much time as we can out of Athens. There's so much to see.

Ruth: I'm sure. How strange people are ! In England for example, we pay through the nose for the‘luxury’ of having a quaint old house and so many people dream of it, whereas here it's almost the other way round. The old houses in Athens are being pulled down because no one likes them.

Alexis: How right you are ! But some Greeks love those old houses, and certainly the foreigners do. Human beings are strange creatures ! Anyway, why don't we continue our discussion over another drink…

Lesson 116 Part Ⅲ Housing Problems

Lesson 116

Part Ⅲ Housing Problems

 

Ex.

Directions: Complete the summary with the information you get from the tape.

Key: (see tapescript)

Tapescript:

Housing Problems (3'22")

A husband and a wife are discussing the demolition of some old buildings to make room for the erection of office blocks in an area where there is an acute shortage of housing.

Wife: It's an absolute scandal. My friend Mrs Standley says that at least twenty people have already written to the council to complain.

Husband: To complain about what ?

Wife: Haven't you heard ? The gas company are thinking of pulling down all those old houses in Salt Lane and selling the land to a property company to build office blocks. And the council are doing absolutely nothing about it.

Husband: Well, those old houses are in pretty bad condition.

Wife: That's not the point. The point is it's not fair. There's a housing shortage. There're people who have been living and working in this district for over twenty years, and still haven't got a decent place to live. It's a shame !

Husband: Well, I suppose the gas company is in business like everyone else. The land those houses are built on is worth a good price.

Wife: Worth a good price ? What does that matter when there are families like the ones in Salt Lane, who haven't even got a bathroom or an inside toilet. It's a disgrace. What we want are new homes in Salt Lane, not office blocks. One of the cashiers who works in the supermarket lives in Salt Lane. And she says she and her husband have been on the housing list since the war. They have been complaining to the council for years. And every time they write, the only reply they get is a printed postcard saying“the matter is receiving attention.” It's not right.

Husband: I don't see what that has to do with the gas company demolishing those old houses in Salt Lane ? Particularly if they're in the condition you say they are.

Wife: Why don't you listen ? I've just told you. The gas company have no right to sell that land for office blocks. It's all wrong. The proper thing is for them to put up some high-rise flats and move those families in Salt Lane into them as quickly as possible.

Husband: Aren't you getting a bit too worked up about it ? I mean I'm sure the gas company know what they are doing.

Wife: Know what they are doing ! They don't know their right hand from their left. I tell you something will have to be done about it. I'm getting up a petition for a start and everyone I've spoken to so far has promised to sign. And Mrs Standley has been asking for volunteers for a protest march. The sooner the gas company and the council realize that people won't put up with this sort of thing, the better. And there's another thing…

Husband: Oh, what's that, dear ?

Wife: I want you to write to the local paper and make a formal complaint on behalf of the residents of Salt Lane.

Husband: But we don't live in Salt Lane.

Wife: I know we don't, but that cashier in the supermarket does. She says it's terrible. She never knows whether she has lit her cooker properly or not, because of the smell from the gas works.

Husband: Uh, before I write, I've got something to tell you.

Wife: Oh, um, nothing bad, I hope.

Husband: No, I don't think so. It's just that my firm are moving offices next year.

Wife: Moving ? Where to ?

Husband: To one of the new office blocks in Salt Lane.